mandela's fight against apartheid made him an inspiration to millions, including president obama. >> i would study his words and his writings. the day he was released from prison, he gave me a sense of what human beings can do when they're guided by their hopes and not by their fears. >> when mandela died, crowds gathered throughout south africa to mourn his death and celebrate his life. debora patta is in johannesburg with the latest. debora, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, anne-marie. well, i'm outside nelson mandela's home. they woke up to the news he had died. it came as no surprise because his health has been very, very poor for six months, but it still has the power to shock and sadden. his health has been critical but over the past few days it got even worse, prompting his wife graca machel to summon the family to his bedside and in this home they were able to say their final good-byes last night. but the story of his life is really being told on the streets here. rich and poor, young and old, black and white are gathering, some to sing, some to cry. i just saw a whit